Man ordered to pay $20,000 for importing steroids into WA

A FIFO worker has been fined $15,000 plus court costs after he was nabbed attempting to import steroids at Perth Airport.

A Tasmanian man has been ordered to pay almost $20,000 for attempting to import performance and image enhancing drugs into Perth Airport. (Image supplied by ABF)

A former fly-in, fly-out worker and gym enthusiast has been ordered to pay almost $20,000 after he was caught trying to smuggle a “small pharmacy” of steroids into Western Australia.

Tasmanian man Samuel Joseph Barwick, 31, was searched by Australian Border Force officers when he landed at Perth Airport on a flight from Malaysia in July last year.

He had declared on his incoming passenger card that he did not have any goods that may be prohibited or restricted, such as steroids.

Samuel Joseph Barwick had declared on his incoming passenger card that he did not have any steroids. Picture: ABF

Barwick then admitted buying the performance and image enhancing drugs from a pharmacy in Thailand, but claimed they were for personal use.

He later pleaded guilty to importing various quantities of anabolic or androgenic substances, and making a false or misleading statement to an officer.

Barwick was fined $15,000 in Perth Magistrates Court and ordered to pay the prosecution’s costs of $4733.

The magistrate also rejected his application for a spent conviction.

Samuel Joseph Barwick was searched by Australian Border Force officers when he landed at Perth Airport on a flight from Malaysia. Picture: ABF

ABF regional commander for WA James Copeman said Barwick knew it was illegal to import the drugs into Australia without a permit.

“(The drugs) are regulated in Australia for very good reasons, as they can have serious health impacts for users,” he said.

“This was a significant concealment and I commend the officers at the airport who detected it.

“The ABF is committed to stamping out the illicit importation of these drugs.”